Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting blade redundancy question

On overnight trips (where weight and space are considerations): Do you carry a folder in your pocket (Benchmade, Spyderco, whatever) in addition to a multitool and/or a dedicated butchering knife?

Gerber Guide, cheap, but long-lasting sharp.

Big Swiss Army tools...no pliers.

Cold Steel SK-5 or Kabar MC in plastic cases.

When I have *enough* firearms, I''ll consider the "quality" blades.

Yes. The weight of a knife doesn't make or break anything. I usually have a fixed blade in the pack and a folder in a pocket. Very rarely have a multi tool when backpacking anymore.

I like knives. Certainly don't need both, but it is nice having the right tool for the job.

+1

I often have an EDC folder in pocket, fixed blade on the HPG kit bag or belt, and processing knife like the OE Razor in my kill kit. Could get by with any one of them, but I like knives.

I always have a folder in my pocket and have done so since I was 5 or 6 years old. I feel kind of naked without one.

Yes,

One in the pocket, and one in the pack of some flavor - I have broken or lost one or the other on trips.

On recreation backpack trips, I carry a Victorinox Swiss Army knife; Climber or Tinker. I carry it in my pack until I get to camp. Just never got accustomed to carrying a knife in my pocket.

When hunting I carry more knives than I need. One that I always carry is a fixed blade Buck 619A knife. It has a black rubber handle and I don't know if that is still available. It must be over fourty years old. I carry a Buck 673 skinner and a Havalon Piranta with extra blades, for delicate work. I also carry a Gerber Gator saw for cutting through the rib cage and/or the pelvis.

I own several Buck #110 folding knives. Everyone has one or more of them, right? But I don't use it for cleaning an animal because folding knives are prone to gathering gunk in the folding joint and it's hard to cleanout.

I also own several Leatherman multitools. But they are too heavy to carry in a backpack.

I always have one of those small Gerber flat sided pocket knives in my pocket. A smallish multi tool (can’t remember the brand), and one of my Bucklite 422’s for dressing game and fighting grizzly bears.

I don't know anyone gets along without at least one.

I currently carry a Buck 286 one each in left and
right front pockets. Depending on where and what
that's subject to change

Old Timer Barlow in my pocket and Gerber #97223 folding knife in my pack.

always have a bench mark forlder with me. I usually have some sort of Fixed blade with me. and most often a Hatchet in the pack for camp uties a knife wont handle.

my favorite fixed blades of late have been a Cold Steel Tanto or an ontario knife works, I think its called the "camp Bowie" or something. it holds a really good edge, is heavy enough to chop,and robust enough for light digging/prying. yet weildy enough to be used for trailbreaking and other camp chorse if needed.

spyderco edc in pocket and a cold steel master hunter,and/or victoronix paring knife, piranta in my pack.

I carry a Buck folder on my belt, Havalon with extra blades in my backpack and a Gerber fixed blade as well. Overkill I know, but when you need a knife, you need one and its nice to have one available. They don't weigh that much.

This right here

If out east, fixed blade on my hip, one of my customs. Managing a whitetail less than a mile from the road really doesn’t require anything more. Out west when we pack in a few miles and boning out and packing is required I change my set up. Will still have a fixed blade in the pack along with two victorinox paring knives and a carbide disc sharpener. Usually the fixed stays in the pack the whole trip, the paring knives do everything I need in getting an animal in the pack. Also , usually have a small folder in my pocket for camp stuff.

MM

Buck trapper in my pocket as always. Minimum in the pack is a Leatherman and a Havalon or Gerber with #70 blades. I've not needed more, but I do occasionally carry more.

I always carry 2. My choice of folder is the Gerber LST. At less than 2 ounces It doesn't really even count. It is for diaphragm and "bung hole." Generally I carry a fixed bladed knife for the rest of the job though I do have one folder I sometimes use for the skinning as well.

The real question for me is whether I carry a third knife or not. Usually not, but sometimes.

I don't carry a multi-tool when I hunt. They're a friggin' brick. Keep your gear in good condition and address the issues that you might use a multi-tool for back at home. The thought of carrying one reminds me of some Toyota guys I used to four wheel with ... they'd drive their barely running POS rigs up into the woods, then spend 3 hours laying in the snow fixing stuff that they should have fixed back at home in the warm, dry garage. I prefer doing maintenance to doing repairs. Maybe that's just a "me" thing.

I also don't carry a hatchet or saw. Just not enough payback on the weight. I have 'em. They stay in the truck unless some weird circumstance requires me to go back for a second load, then I might take them if I know I'll need them, but I sure don't pack them when I'm hunting.

Tom

If I have my pants on, I have a Buck Rival. 2" blade, good edge. I also have a Gerber LST that I use a lot.

Get youself one of them light scalpel changable blade units if your hunting becuase most folks dont know how to sharpen blades. Just a fact.

After that buy a Mora 511 theyre close to $10 and light. If you need a bit better one that excellent for food prep and has better handle but still thin and light then purchase a Mora Kansbol. This is an excellent fixed blade. Then put a small Opinel folder in your pocket.

You should have a saw and Gerber makes a cheap and very light sliding blade pocket saw that can be had for $10-$12.

These tools are what you need to process game quickly, use as food prep tools, and its toolage enough to process small wood and get to the center so you can get to dry kindling. All of these together weigh less than a robust fixed blade and theyre cheap. You dont need to use some custom blade from a well known maker or pricey super steels. Keep your tools maintained and sharp and when you go afield theyll take care of you.

I have a number of useful pocket knives I can use for the task, but when I get off my arse and go for a wander I drop a Wenger or Victorinox Soldier into my pocket for back-up. I like the utility of the screwdrivers and blade...but what I use most is the sharpened awl for digging out thorns and such.


This one at the moment as the Wenger is in my wife's car tool roll.